Yakamo
Hida Yakamo was the firstborn son of Hida Kisada and Hida Tsuriko. He had one brother, Hida Sukune, and a sister, Hida O-Ushi. He succeeded his father as Crab Clan Champion and was the Crab Clan Thunder. He became Lord Sun after Amaterasu committed jigai. Heir to the Great Bear Groomed at an early age to follow his father, it was well known how much he resembled his father physically and mentally. He was quick to anger, very hot headed and would speak in a frank and direct manner. His battlefield prowess was unquestioned. When entering the fray he often wielded a tetsubo in one hand and his katana Chikara in the other. Way of the Crab, p. 62 Mirumoto Satsu Yakamo's dueling skills were impressive. The most notable duel he won was against Mirumoto Satsu, killing the older Dragon samurai with his tetsubo. After the duel, Mirumoto Hitomi swore vendetta against Yakamo. Another Time (Honor Bound Foil Chase Cards flavour) Way of the Dragon, p. 6 Personality His abrasiveness earned him a bad reputation in the imperial courts. Yakamo, however, saw politeness and etiquette as a burden to endure, not an honor to uphold. He was a very canny and perceptive man, clever enough to understand his own nature and impression on others, learning to time his rants for maximum impact on other people, keeping them off balance. He valued honesty above all traits, would not lie and equated his word with his honor. He saw politeness as deceit and would not pretend to enjoy someone's presence if he didn't. Way of the Crab, p. 63 Corruption of the Crab Shortly before the Battle of Beiden Pass Hitomi located Yakamo travelling, and challenged him to a duel. Hitomi won the duel, cutting off Yakamo's right hand. The Crab: Clan War, Fifth Scroll; pp. 80-87 Yakamo was rushed back to Crab lands where Kuni Yori manipulated Hida Kisada into allowing a large claw to replace Yakamo's lost hand. The Cold Dark Dawn Yakamo gave his name to the oni that the claw had come from, Yakamo no Oni, and an alliance was forged between the Shadowlands and the Crab Clan. Dragon Sword is Broken After Sukune was nailed to the Terrible Standard of Fu Leng for failing to defeat the rag-tag army led by the Toturi the Black, Yakamo led the army of Crab and Shadowlands creatures into Beiden Pass. Yakamo returned the favor Hitomi had given him by ripping Hitomi's hand off when he used the Oni's Claw, also shattering the Ancestral Sword of the Dragon. Time of the Void, p. 33 Kisada's Last Charge When Kisada's fleet arrived on the shores of Otosan Uchi, he was greeted by the mighty roar of hundreds of Lion Samurai ready to die to protect their Emperor. Light Infantry (Anvil of Dispair flavour) Before she could engage the Great Bear, an order from the palace arrived, commanding Tsuko to stand aside and let her army fight without her. Medium Infantry (Anvil of Dispair flavour) Without warning, the Lion army found themselves fighting on two fronts as Crab archers rose up from the southern hillside. Archers (Anvil of Dispair flavour) The leaderless Lion cavalry charged into Kisada's ranks with fire and fury, and only Tsuko noticed the Crab cavalry moving quickly through the woods flanking them to the North. Light Cavalry (Anvil of Dispair flavour) As the Lion cavalry charged, the Crab cavalry fell back forcing the Lions to fall into wall of blades that Kisada had prepared for them. Spearmen (Anvil of Dispair flavour) Tsuko watched with tears in her eyes as Kisada trampled over her shattered forces and marched into the Imperial Palace. Medium Cavalry (Anvil of Dispair flavour) Kisada charged into the throne room and the mad-eyed Emperor who awaited him cut the Great Bear down with a single stroke. Charge (Anvil of Dispair flavour) Hida Yakamo, carried his father over his shoulder through the tunnels while a Kachiko's servant led the way. Tunnel System (Crimson and Jade flavour) Fall and Redemption Yakamo and Kisada fled, with the Ancestral Sword of Hantei still lodged in Kisada's gut. The Story So Far: Anvil of Despair (Imperial Herald v1 #4) Kisada intended on committing seppuku to cleanse the shame they had brought on the Crab. Yakamo revealed that Dragon Clan Champion Togashi Yokuni had approached him while his father was unconcious, and told him there was still a purpose for him. Yokuni had given Yakamo the Jade Hand, which he placed upon the stump of his arm after tearing off the Oni's Claw. Yakamo convinced Kisada that he should not give up, and they should help Toturi and the rest of Rokugan defeat Fu Leng. Firelight, by Rob Vaux Second Day of Thunder The armies of the Clans finally united under Yakamo and Toturi on the Second Day of Thunder.Clan Letter to the Unicorn #4b (Imperial Herald v1 #4) Confronting Yakamo no Oni During the battle at Otosan Uchi Yakamo saw the oni that had stolen his name. Mounted Spearmen (Time of the Void flavour) During their fight the oni's acrid blood sprayed into Yakamo's eyes, temporarily blinding him. When he recovered his vision, the oni's head has been crushed by Hitomi's Obsidian Hand. The Two Deaths of Yakamo (Time of the Void story Cards) Crab Thunder Yakamo was the Crab Clan Thunder on the Second Day of Thunder in 1128. He fought Fu Leng alongside the other Thunders in the throne room, and was one of the survivors. The Thunders Attack (Time of the Void story Cards) Marrying O-Ushi In 1129 Yakamo summoned a contest to marry his sister O-Ushi. Shinjo Yasamura was the fortunate. A Good Little Wife, by Ree Soesbee Hiruma Castle Naga abandon the Crab After the Second Day of Thunder, the new Crab Champion Yakamo focused on retaking the Hiruma lands, and gathered an army of Crab and Naga, marching them into the Shadowlands. They successfully took Kyuden Hiruma in 1130. In 1131 the Naga abruptly left, heading north, leaving Yakamo and his Crab army who subsequently became besieged by the Horde. Hidden Emperor, p. 13 The Three Sieges of Hiruma Castle Kuni Yori swiftly attacked the castle, but was repelled by Yakamo. Two months later Yori attacked again using undead minions and the Crab utterly crushed the Shadowlands forces. This ease of this victory pushed the Crab into overconfidence on their part, and it would prove to be their undoing. In 1132 Yori and the reborn Moto Tsume assaulted Hiruma Castle again, this time with overwhelming odds. The besieged Crab needed to send for additional reinforcements to survive the assault but were isolated by the battle. With the aid of the Nezumi Third Whisker Tribe HidaYakamo escaped the Siege of Kyuden Hiruma in 1132 through subterranean tunnels, Hidden Emperor, p. 14 but he was eventually captured by the Shadowland forces. A Hero's Death, by Ree Soesbee Clan Letter to the Shadowlands #3 (Imperial Herald v3 #1) Death and Rebirth Yakamo was imprisoned in the Sepulcher of Bone where Kuni Yori tortured him during thirty days, and finally Yori killed Yakamo. The spirit of his brother Sukune guided Yakamo during the wait until the Thunder could return. The Crab tried to retake again the fallen castle, but their first assault was repulsed. A relief Lion force, led by Ikoma Tsanuri began a journey to Crab lands in 1131 and finally reached the castle in time to assist in a second successful assault, taking the castle back from the Shadowlands. Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 23 Yakamo's body was recovered, and the Naga, who had reappeared from the forests, took his body. Naga Shashakar sacrificed his life to the Child of the Pale, using the greatest Black Pearl in a magic ritual that merged his mind with Hida Yakamo and restored the Crab Clan Champion to life in 1132 The ceremony involved a merging Yakamo's soul with the Akasha's. Clan Letter to the Naga #11. Many clans distrusted the Naga, but a newly reanimated Yakamo assured them that only by working with them would they be able to defeat the Lying Darkness. Lord Sun When Hitomi defeated Lord Moon after the Twenty-Seven Days of Darkness, Amaterasu committed jigai. Yakamo was led to the site of the event by the Akasha and served as her second. Upon her death, he ascended to become Lord Sun opposite Hitomi's Lady Moon. Seikitsu Pass In 1150, following the destruction of Beiden Pass, Yakamo hurled a great fireball at the Seikitsu Mountains, creating the Great Crater. The crater re-opened Seikitsu Pass Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game, Third Edition, p. 25, which had been blocked since it's collapse in 99. Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game, Third Edition, p. 10 The exact reasons for Yakamo doing this are unknown. Some theories claimed that Yakamo mereley wanted the Empire to have a new pass through the mountains. Others suspected a samurai had earned Lord Sun's wrath and the location was merely a coincidence. Another theory claimed that Yakamo felt the need to show himself the equal of his ancestor Osano-Wo, well known for grand displays with little provocation. Enlightened Madness, Part Five The Will of Heaven In 1170, the Dragons, tired of Man's rule of the Heavens, exerted their will upon Tengoku. The Seven Fortunes allowed the Dragon of Jade and the Dragon of Obsidian to attempt to replace Yakamo as Lord Sun and Hitomi as Lord Moon respectively. The other Dragons, save the Dragon of Thunder, left mankind to cement their power. Scenes from the Empire VI Yakamo was defeated by the Dragon of Jade in the Month of the Horse in 1170, and cast down. His dying words were heard by Moshi Amika.The Sun and Moon, Part I His body turned to a giant cache of jade, which Crab Clan champion Hida Kuon ordered to be used to create a shrine to Yakamo adjacent to Kisada's Shrine. Kuon also ordered the Kaiu smiths to create weapons able to accept jade inlays and use the rest of Yakamo's body to arm his clan. The Sun and Moon, Part II External Links * Hida Yakamo (Imperial Edition) * Hida Yakamo Exp (Crimson and Jade) * Hida Yakamo Exp2 (Time of the Void) * Hida Yakamo Exp3 (Ambition's Debt) * Hida Yakamo Exp3KYD (1000 Years of Darkness) See Also * Hida Yakamo/Meta Category:Crab Clan Leaders Category:Naga Category:Fortunes